Here is a quick(ish) run through of how I think the group stage of the upcoming World Cup will pan out.

 

Group A: Brazil should and I think will win this group pretty easily. Croatia may cause them a couple of problems but Mexico and Cameroon shouldn’t pose too much of a test. The battle for second however is tough to call. I’d put Croatia down as the best side of the three, but Mexico cannot be discounted as they have an excellent record of getting out of the group stage. However in the Confederations Cup they didn’t impress me. Cameroon will be out to improve on a poor tournament in 2010 in which they didn’t get a single point, They’re the weakest team on the group on paper but with Eto’o up front they cannot be written off and they have a decent midfield pairing in Alex Song and Jean Makoun. In the event, I think Brazil will win the group with Croatia getting 2nd place.

  1. Brazil
  2. Croatia
  3. Mexico
  4. Cameroon

Group B: Now this is arguably as much a group of death is England’s group is. The two finalists from 2010, plus an impressive Chile playing on their own continent. England fans saw first-hand how good Chile are when we were well beaten at Wembley last year. Whoever loses the group opener between Netherlands and Spain will be in a very precarious position. I quite fancy Spain to win that one, and although Netherlands should beat Australia I think Chile will beat them. I don’t think Australia will make much of an impression of the group at all and I fear they may be in for a hiding against Spain. Spain to win the group, Chile to edge out Netherlands for second and Australia to finish bottom.

  1. Spain
  2. Chile
  3. Netherlands
  4. Australia

 

Group C: A very tough group to call. A lot is expected from Colombia and even without Falcao they have a number of very talented strikers including Jackson Martinez and Carlos Bacca. However there’s been this sort of expectation on them before, back in 1994 and they spectacularly failed to deliver. Ivory Coast’s golden generation are coming to an end and really they’ve yet to deliver. While their World Cup groups have been unkind to them, they’ve also yet to deliver at the Africa Cup of Nations. This is probably their best chance to reach the knockout round, but I quite fancy Greece to do similar to what they did in Euro 2012 and beat them in the final group game to nick second. Then there’s Japan, energetic and hard-working who cannot be written off. They didn’t get a single point in the Confederations Cup but ran Italy very close and were extremely unlucky to lose. I think Colombia will take top spot with Greece edging out the Ivorians for second. Japan will finish bottom, but won’t disgrace themselves.

  1. Colombia
  2. Greece
  3. Ivory Coast
  4. Japan

Group D: Maybe there’s a bit of bias here but I actually fancy England to go through here. I think the opening game against Italy has draw written all over it, probably goalless with both sides concentrating on not losing. Uruguay may be on their own continent and may have Suarez and Cavani, but they scraped through qualification and the rest of their team doesn’t impress me overly much. I think the England side going to Brazil is the best group of players we’ve had in a number of years. I watched Uruguay scrape a win against a weakened Northern Ireland (the equivalent of an average League 1 team) and Italy drew with Luxembourg and haven’t won since September. Costa Rica will cause problems too, and if they go defensive, they could prove to be England’s toughest opponents. I think Italy will win the group ahead of England, with Uruguay third and Costa Rica bottom.

  1. Italy
  2. England
  3. Uruguay
  4. Costa Rica

Group E: Many people are talking about Belgium as dark horses but the Swiss have a very exciting crop of players. Xhaka, Shaqiri, Stocker, Inler, Dzemali and Lichtsteiner are sure to cause problems for any opponent and I actually fancy them to win the group. France are a much better side than the shambles of 2010 and I think they’ll have just about enough to see off Ecuador. In 2010, Honduras scuppered Switzerland’s hopes of reaching the last 16 by holding them to a draw. I think this Switzerland side will be a lot more entertaining to watch. Ecuador have that home continent advantage and the tragic death of their striker Christian Benitez could well be a spur for them but sadly sentiment does not get you through World Cup groups. Honduras are not to be discounted and I think they’ll run their opponents close but ultimately have little more than a point to show for it.

  1. Switzerland
  2. France
  3. Ecuador
  4. Honduras

 

Group F: This should be relatively easy for Argentina, though unknown quantities Bosnia could pose them a question or two. The race for second I think will be between Bosnia and Nigeria. Most predictions I’ve seen seem to have Bosnia taking second place but I’m not sure I agree. I think it’ll be very close. Nigeria have the advantage of major tournament experience which Bosnia don’t have, they won the Africa Cup of Nations last year and have a mixture of pace and power. I think Nigeria will scrape through into second, with Iran finishing bottom. I quite fancy Argentina to get a hatful against Iran.

  1. Argentina
  2. Nigeria
  3. Bosnia
  4. Iran

Group G: Even without injured Marco Reus, Germany have enough to top the group and get through with minimum fuss. Portugal will have to pray Ronaldo is fit and ready for the tournament as without him they aren’t really all that. For years now, Portugal have had real problems finding a world class centre forward (I don’t count Ronaldo as one, however good his goal record is) and the fact they have Helder Postiga leading the line says a lot about their problems, with all respect to Postiga. I think it’ll be very tight for second place with Portugal just pipping Ghana to the post. I don’t expect too much from the USA, though they could well get a result against Portugal or Ghana to play havoc with the standings.

  1. Germany
  2. Portugal
  3. Ghana
  4. USA

 

Group H: Belgium have been given a relatively kind group which they should win. A lot is expected of this exciting group of players including Kompany, Lukaku, Witsel and Hazard. Euro 2008 aside, Russia tend to flatter to deceive in major tournaments, their first round exit in Euro 2012 a prime example. However South Korea are nowhere near as dangerous as they’ve been in previous tournaments and Algeria are one of the tournaments weakest teams in my book. Neither should prove too much of an obstacle in Russia’s progression to the last 16.

  1. Belgium
  2. Russia
  3. South Korea
  4. Algeria